Saturday, October 22, 2011

Friday, October 21, 2011

What makes a man a Christian? Is he just born Christian rather than, say, Muslim? Is it that he lives in a country which is predominantly "Christian"? Or maybe it is simply because his parents were Christian. Or is it more personal? Perhaps he is a Christian simply by virtue of attending a "Christian" church and participates in those liturgies which are distinctively Christian.

These are all popular answers to the question; but to anyone who knows even the least about the Bible, there is more to it than that. Much more. Christianity is a religion of faith -- vital, personal faith. A "Christian" is a person of faith.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Monday, October 10, 2011

While in Manila last year I stumbled on a secular bookshop which to my surprise boasted a large Christian book section in which Piper, Grudem, Keller and Carson among many others could be found. Strolling around the store I came across another section entitled ‘Self help’. I must confess that I chuckled (maybe I should have wept) when I found books by 2 of America’s best known TV preachers. The secular bookshop manager proved extraordinarily insightful; what was on offer was not actually “Gospel help” but “self help” masquerading as Christianity. In the USA these books would have held pride of place in the average Christian bookshop alongside the greeting cards, Christian novels and plastic angels.

Sometimes the Gospel not only loses its edge it is actually so distorted that it becomes unrecognisable. In many places in the West the church has become so enmeshed in the culture that it is difficult to discern its radical message. So many so-called Christian books encourage the believer to prosper, succeed, “be a winner” in the culture and all this by exercising faith.

Friday, October 7, 2011

Each week that passes more than one million people will go out into eternity. The majority will go to their graves unsung and will not be missed by any but their family and closest friends. With these statistics we have a constant reminder of Hebrews 9:27, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.”

However, this week two men in particular passed away. Each had an impact on the world in different ways and with far-reaching implications.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Turn to the Book of Hebrews with me as we focus upon the warning passages. The first three passages are:

1) 2:1-4 which deals with the issue of drifting away;

2) 3:5 – 4:13 which deals with the danger of hardening the heart;

3) 5:11 – 6:12 which deals with the incredible problem of dullness of hearing and sluggishness of spirit.

These three issues characterize the bulk of the church in our land today. There are large numbers of people that if they ever had salvation at all (and ofttimes it is dubious that they really did), they have drifted away to an amazing degree. Everywhere I go I encounter people who have hardened their hearts. They were at one time under conviction, but somehow they refused to respond to God, and in the process of refusing, their hearts were hardened. The bulk of the church is obviously sluggish, dull and lost in terms of the keenness, vitality and passion of true Christianity.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
(Jas 2:15-17)

The Five Solas of the Reformation

Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone)
The Bible is the only inspired, inerrant authority for Christian Faith, and it contains all knowledge necessary for salvation and holiness.

Sola Fide (Faith Alone)
Justification is by faith alone. The full righteousness of Christ imputed to us by faith (comprised of His active and passive obedience) is the sole ground of our acceptance by God, by which our sins are remitted.

Solus Christus (Christ Alone)
Christ is Prophet, Priest and King; the only mediator through whose work we are redeemed.

Sola Gratia (Grace Alone)
Salvation comes by God's grace or "unmerited favor" alone — not as something merited by the sinner. This means that salvation is an unearned gift from God.

Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)
All glory is to be due to God alone, since salvation is accomplished solely through His will and action — not only the gift of the all-sufficient atonement of Jesus on the cross but also the gift of faith in that atonement, created in the heart of the believer by the Holy Spirit.

Based on SCRIPTURE alone, we can affirm that justification is by GRACE alone, through FAITH alone, because of CHRIST alone, for the GLORY OF GOD alone.